[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 22, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE FAIRNESS IN FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS MEDICAL CARE 
                              ACT OF 2022

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 22, 2022

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Fairness in Federal 
Bureau of Prisons Medical Care Act of 2022. This bill would eliminate 
the copay the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) imposes on inmates when 
they visit a BOP-provided health care provider.
  Under current BOP rules, inmates are required to pay a fee for health 
services of $2.00 per health care visit. While $2.00 may seem 
insignificant, when inmates earn only 12 to 40 cents per hour on their 
work assignments, $2 is substantial. That money could better be used to 
pay for the cost of necessities. Moreover, while copays can reduce 
unnecessary appointments, we should be encouraging inmates to seek 
medical care before conditions become worse and more expensive for 
taxpayers. Early care is much less expensive for the federal government 
than costly treatment that could have been avoided by a simple health 
care visit earlier in the process.
  Under current BOP rules, if an inmate is found responsible through 
the Disciplinary Hearing Process of having caused another inmate's 
injury that required a visit to a health care provider, the offending 
inmate is required to pay the $2 copay for the injured inmate's visit. 
That rule would not change under my bill.
  Removing this unnecessary copay would encourage inmates to see a 
health care provider and receive the treatment they need, and would 
likely save the federal government money in the long run.

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